Perfume

 I discovered Saint d'ici perfumes in early 2020. I fell in love with one called Mousseum:

Spring 2021

 'Florals for Spring, ... groundbreaking'  a famous line from the film The devil wears Prada.

After a tragic and unsettling year I personally long for lightness, softness and beauty which flowers universally are known for. Their symmetry, the pattern, the golden ratio, colours and scents make me so happy. I however find Summer in the UK where I am, the best for flowers.

Image copyright Aesme Flowers, London, UK

Image copyright Desert Vintage, Tuscon, USA

I am in love with this dress above, its by Chloe, I dream of a deep Summer evening gathering with candles and  starlight while wearing this dress.

Autumn 2020

Dear Reader,

I hope you have been keeping well and hope you are doing ok.

I myself have been occupied with my baby born earlier this year and working, which I am grateful for as I can have a roof over my head and feel ok. I feel more grateful for moments at home, be it cooking a meal, sitting in the garden, which I rarely appreciated before. Have you been appreciating quiet moments?

I have revisited films and TV programmes I used to love, The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit and Merlin (BBC TV series), The Bridge (Nordic Noir, Danish & Swedish TV series). Also I had time to binge watch a series I kept intending to watch,  The Line of Duty (BBC TV series). 

I have a small allotment, due to my knee operation two years ago and my pregnancy I was unable to commit to this personal project of mine, I am planning to make 2021 a success for my allotment at least.

Flowers, root vegetables like onions, potatoes, carrots and garlic are planned for the following year. I have a lot to do, weeds have taken over and the hard work put in last year has been swept away. Who says we can tame nature?

Those who have followed me for a while know about my love for vintage clothing, much of which is not designer or labelled. I am going to create some posts and a documentary of the pieces, about the fabric, design and so forth, its something I have been meaning to do for a while - sounds grand but it isn't really! I'm channelling Natalie Joos's previous blog Tales of Endearment, which had made me fall in love with vintage many moons ago.

Take care and best wishes,

P

Reflections

Photo copyright- Polly Ali

Nostalgia

Photo copyright- Polly Ali

In these extraordinary times I find myself thinking about the past, not always consciously. Anxiety has created some trigger points for me where I get flashbacks of bad experiences and unhappiness from family, ex friends, colleagues and workplaces.

This situation has also triggered me to get flashbacks of happier times, travels and holidays, hobbies I used to pursue like photography, art and discovering new places, when I used to explore cities alone particular ones being London, Paris & Lisbon.

Photo copyright- Monsoon clothing website, accessed 14th April 2020

I believe these times are making us all appreciate the things we have and what we have experienced, the dreams we have already lived.

Changes

H&M Conscious SS20, copyright H&M

It may seem trivial posting about style and fashion while a pandemic is raging across the world. I just wanted to share that I’m impressed by the recent campaign by H&M, I’m not sure how longer I can  enjoy things like this.

Uncertain times

In these uncertain times please be:

- Kind
-Support others, reach out to friends and family, check in on them
-Support small businesses and local businesses
-Never take anything for granted

When this storm passes I hope societies around the world will rethink and rewire to create better societies and better social structures. The current ones do not serve us well in times of need or for the ones in need.

On natural perfume

Image is from @_s___o  Cat Morrison's Instagram account

Coming soon ...

Pared down style

Image from desert vintage.com accessed on 22.02.20

I came across this dress on Desert Vintage, a beautifully curated vintage store based in Tuscon in the US.

It is timeless and elegant, although I am partial to prints now and again I feel that block colours and classic designs are more of my calling.

I have far too many clothes and shall be selling on Ebay and Etsy soon. I've always gone on about being a conscious consumer but really I haven't been, I've impulsively bought things when I've been depressed or when I've needed a high- 2020 will be different for sure.

Curating style

Image from Sunad.es AW18 Cookbook

I love looking through designers Lookbooks, they bring items of clothing and accessories to life, they show a story, encourage collaborations and are instrumental in getting sales for the designer too.

I came across a Spanish Brand called Sunad, this brand solely focuses on the shirt and its variations. The brand is in love with the 70's YSL woman and applies this aesthetic to its creations.

This shot above on the right captured my attention, the shine of the silk, the beautiful terracotta colour and the warmth of the sun.

Franca Sozzani- Chaos and creation a heartfelt documentary by her son Francesco Carrozzini

"Franca: Chaos and Creation" Directed by Francesco Carrozzini - Trailer from Francesco Carrozzini on Vimeo.

Health

An old photo of a time spent in Tarragona, Spain

Health is wealth. This is well known but probably not followed by most of the population, myself included.

I have had a knee issue for a while and had surgery very recently. I will be stuck at home for a few weeks. So far I have been watching the British Asian Summer programmes on BBCiplayer, the programmes are great and I learnt a lot about how South East Asians are making their own marks and how India itself is rapidly changing. If this interests you and you are based the UK watch the programmes before they disappear from BBCiplayer.

How do you balance your health with other demands on your life?  It feels as though societies generally put too much focus in work, financial health and  for young people being absorbed with social media, which is taking up a lot of people’s time.

I try and have a detox from my mobile phone every few months.
I’m also trying to revisit my interests which are practical like painting, making ceramics and writing. Stepping away from screens and consumerism is a Great step. Lock away your credit card from impulse buying. Impulse buying I find is only very short term saltisfaction.

I’m also trying to cultivate a small allotment and small garden with vegetables, fruit and flowers.

I’m hoping these steps will help me feel healthier and at peace with myself.

The Languorous UK summer of 2018

Image copyright- Topshop.com

Although us Brits are famous for the small talk about weather, I can say we struggled talking about it everyday and struggled with the heat (the warmest since 1976!). We had train cancellations, delays, a hose pipe ban in the North and melting roads too. I know First world problems, right?

Scientists believe that Climate change is partially to blame and believe that by 2040 this could be the norm. Joking aside, this could spell serious trouble for our habitats, farmers, farmers crops suffered this summer ( Brexit is on the horizon too, which is likely to impact farmers income). This may change our ecosystem too.

How to search for clothing items online

I would like to share my tips on how to make the most of your online search when searching for an item or a similar item that is sold out.

This may be obvious but searching for colours or different shades of the same colour can help- for example honey, apricot , mango may yield the better search returns for a colour hue item.

If an item is sold out you may find it or a similar item on Ebay, Esty or if a high end high street designer or a high end designer like Celine, visit Vestaire Collective that sells used items of clothing and accessories which are reviewed by them before they are shipped out.

I'm based in the UK and the Shop Style UK is a good place to search for items which span may retailers and many brands.

If you come across a brand or website you like be sure to save it in your bookmarks or make a note, some designers don't always appear on search sites like Shop Style UK. Before you know it that designer has escaped your memory- or maybe not, my brain isn't as good as it used to be! -

Try and search for a few key words or the full designer description of the item, the internet is so powerful that it can pick up search returns from websites worldwide.

Lastly be a conscious shopper, with the rise of internet shopping we have largely become throwaway consumers which damages the environment and devalues fashion in my opinion. My tip is try to sleep on it before buying the item you immediately long to have- how often will you wear this? Is it versatile? Is it timeless? Is it memorable and personal to you? Is it for a special event and you know you will treasure and possibly hand down to your family or a special friend?

 Best wishes with your searches and happy conscious shopping.

Chloé / Anne-France Dautheville

Chloé / Anne-France Dautheville from Toto Vivian on Vimeo.

Romancing the rose

SOUVENIR DU DR. JAMAIN - Old rose

Roses have captured many hearts over the centuries....

I have recently become obsessed about learning about roses and also planting roses in my small garden. The old roses fascinate me the most, I love old things and such roses often have the most scent and are unique characters in their own right.

Fifty shades of....Pink

Ulla Johnson Francine dress, image from Ullajohnson.com site October 2017

Pink is actually a rather versatile colour, believe it or not apparently it can also be rather masculine, well according to an interiors and fashion magazine I came across recently- although I highly doubt that you will be finding pink baby clothing for baby boys and toddlers anytime soon.

Anyway pink for me has always been soothing, pretty or shocking, this colour can be as versatile and dramatic as you like, I think its the only colour that has that potential with softness, femininity, comfort and vibrancy across its various hues. I'm surprised that is hasn't been celebrated so much, is this possibly to due with its association to the social fabric of being 'girly'? Regardless pink has made an appearance recently with suits, dresses and even coats. Yep this is across the high street and designer runways. I say appearance because it is like a shooting star, fleeting and not everywhere. That way one can appreciate it more, right?

The colour of the above dress by designer Ulla Johnson is called Antique rose, you my call this dusty rose, dusky rose or even blush. It is actually one of my favourite colours and is coveted be it a diary, notebook or pretty much anything else. I will just have try to to grab a few chances while it enjoys its mini renaissance as a 'serious' colour.

Autumn days

So we are really now into Autumn as it is nearly mid October.

I have been occupied with a few things and feel like I have really neglected this blog. I hope to resume my blogging activities over the next few months and to update you on a few personal projects that I have been working on.

As for the photo which I found on the internet a few years back, I am happy that with the small garden that I have, I am lucky to have had beautiful blooms from Spring to even now with Autumnal roses blooming.

Enjoy your weekends & bye for now.

Charleston

I spent a half atmospheric dark, wet and rainy morning and half dreamy sunny afternoon in Charleston (in Sussex, England) recently, if you are interested in learning about the Bloomsbury set (Vanessa Bell, Duncan Grant etc) and love gardens try and visit one day. It truly is a painters place and the house is pretty amazing with its painted designs, handmade curtains, rugs and ceramics. I caught a glimpse of the Guest room and the dusky pinks will make me want to visit again. The designs and decor in the house overall were revolutionary for that period.

The garden (recreated in the style of how it was) itself has been described as abundant and was overflowing with Hollyhocks (apparently Vanessa Bell's favourite) and giant towering and purple flowering artichokes, fruit trees, zinnias and roses. It was a great deviation of the clipped and prim, 'controlled' gardens that had dominated garden design philosophy in western Europe.

All photos taken by myself. Photos of the interior of the house is not allowed unfortunately,however there are some good guidebooks which can give you a good insight,

Summer dreaming

Image from Shop Spanish Moss, a Vintage clothing and accessories shop based in the U.S.

This summer in the South East of England has been super hot. Apparently a couple of weeks ago the hottest in 40 years!

My recent months have left me rather jaded, I have had three roles in the past two years and it makes me tired to think about where I will be heading next. But why should it be that way? One shouldn't let life just 'happen' to them? I have been thinking about what I want to do in the medium to long term.A portfolio career is hopefully around the corner.

Although being an accountant is fairly secure I have very little job satisfaction. I have been seriously thinking about working with food, a supper club, styling food and the arts, a curators course is on the cards as well as Moorish Islamic art studies. My recent travels were in Morocco, South of Spain and Portugal (for 2.5 days!!) and I was fascinated by the arts and patterns in the Magreb and preserved from Arab Andalusia in Spain and Portugal. There is a lot of geometry and repeated patterns and I find them beautiful.

I also would like to create a portfolio of vintage clothing studies. I have a great passion for vintage clothing and want to study and document this somehow.

I hope you are having a good summer so far.

Moorish tiles, photo taken at The Palace of Sintra in Portugal, April 2017